I am a glorified betta babysitter for a little sweetey that his mom has dubbed "Sprinkles". I feel he is more dignified than that so I either call him Mr. Sprinkles or "Handsome Man", because, face it, he's beautiful (and he knows it!)

I found your site in an effort to be the best bettasitter ever and now that I know more I feel horrible for Mr. Sprinkles. He has an itzy bitzy 2 litre (half gallon) cube with no filter or heater or anything. She left me with only flakes to feed him, but, since I ready your thread, I've started supplimenting with the bloodworms that I got as a treat for my goldies.

Since he's not my fish I can't really go out and buy him the set up he needs, but I don't know what to do. I had an extra plant that I put in for him. He seems to love it. Swims in an out. Hides sometimes. I do 1/2 water changes daily with warmed spring water, but the tank always seems dirty. And he only seems happy when I'm talking to him or when he has a bit of mirror time. (got to defend his measly half gallon from that handsome interloper!)

If I got a heater for my goldfish tank (goldies don't really mind heat if you heat the water slowly, or so it says on the goldfish care site that I was reading. it says it might cause them to spawn....) could I put him in there? or would it be too much for him and or them? (I have 4 goldfish in a 2 gallon tank with a bubble filtration system)

As a Betta foster mom, what can I do to make his 3 month stay with me better???

wow... thats not looking to good.... Goldfish REALLY don't do well with heaters. They can actually suffacate them, so I wouldn't get one, but if they didn't bother the betta(and he didn't bother them) I'm sure "Mr. Sprinkles" would be happy to just have more room, a heater isn't always nessisary for bettas, altho they do prefer them. If you decide not to put the betta in with the goldies, I would do a 100% water change for him, scrubbing the sides and rinsing out the rocks really well. If you have any cave type thing or tiny flower pots maybe you could put them in their cuz bettas don't like to be too exposed. continue your water changes 50% every day but maybe every once in a while do a 100 percent change.

I read some place (not sure where) that goldfish like cooler water while we all know bettas like warmer water. I just don't know that I would put them together. That is an awfully small tank to put 5 fish in...

wow... thats not looking to good.... Goldfish REALLY don't do well with heaters. They can actually suffacate them, so I wouldn't get one, but if they didn't bother the betta(and he didn't bother them) I'm sure "Mr. Sprinkles" would be happy to just have more room, a heater isn't always nessisary for bettas, altho they do prefer them. If you decide not to put the betta in with the goldies, I would do a 100% water change for him, scrubbing the sides and rinsing out the rocks really well. If you have any cave type thing or tiny flower pots maybe you could put them in their cuz bettas don't like to be too exposed. continue your water changes 50% every day but maybe every once in a while do a 100 percent change.

OK. No PetSmart around here and something like that would probably cost in the neighbourhood of $20+

I'm trying him in with the goldies now. They seem to be ignoring him. He's gone over to the bubble filter a few times and been blown over by the bubbles, but keeps going back (i have the pump set on low... ) I also put in a cup in the bottom of the tank (weighed down with some of the rocks) so he could hide, but he hasn't shown any interest.

How long do I need to watch them to make sure he'll be ok?

on a side note. two of the four goldies are the kinds with long fins and tails and none of them have ever been nipped at. Is that a good sign for MrSprinkles?

about changing the water in his little cube. I did a 100% water change when I was given the fish (I'm the 2nd foster mom. the first one was neglecting him and realized it wasn't the best situation for him so I volunteered to relieve her) and have been doing 50%'s daily ever since... doesn't seem to help though

Hopefully he'll be happy in with the others in the "big" tank.........

OH! what about feeding in the shared tank. Should I stop giving the goldies their veggie flakes for fear he might eat some? or will he avoid them if I feed the bloodworms at the same time going for the protein source instead?

I do not think this was a good idea. I've heard bad things of putting goldfish and bettas together. And that 2 gallon tank is overcrowded.

I've heard of goldfish nipping at bettas and bettas nipping at goldfish. I've also heard of goldfish thinking the betta was a small female and chasing them around the tank. I think you might have more luck keeping them together in a large tank where they all have their own space.

I read some place (not sure where) that goldfish like cooler water while we all know bettas like warmer water. I just don't know that I would put them together. That is an awfully small tank to put 5 fish in...

so at this point it was basically the same water. Both tanks are in the same room and neither have a heater. At 16 litre as opposed to 2 litre it probably has a more stable temp

Just realized I made an error in my 1st post. The tank the goldfish are in (and for now MrSprinkles is having a trial in) holds 8-2litre bottles of water. it's late here (almost 2am) and it seems my brain turned off and forgot the 2litre bit and calculated wrong. The tank is FOUR gallon NOT two.

I do not think this was a good idea. I've heard bad things of putting goldfish and bettas together. And that 2 gallon tank is overcrowded.

I've heard of goldfish nipping at bettas and bettas nipping at goldfish. I've also heard of goldfish thinking the betta was a small female and chasing them around the tank. I think you might have more luck keeping them together in a large tank where they all have their own space.

Does the fact that it's 4 gallon change anything? Or should I just take him out and put him back in his cube?